Clasp.



, Patented Apr. 23, |90L C. A. BARROWS.

No. 672,8l5.

G LAS P.

(Application filed Jan. 21, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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NITED STATES CLARA AMANDA BARROWS, OF BETHEL, VERMONT.

CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 672,815, dated. April 23, 1901.

Application filed January 21, 1901. Serial No. 44,084. (No model.)

resident of Bethel, in the county of Windsor and State of Vermont, have invented a new and Improved Clasp, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a clasp adapted particularly for attachment to shoes and other foot-gear to hold the ends of the strings without necessitating tying them.

To this end the invention comprises a body portion provided with a yielding tongue and a clamping member hingedly mounted on the body portion and having a yielding tongue coactiug with the tongue of the body portion and also having a finger adapted to engage a part of the bodyto hold the clamping member in engaged position.

This specification is the specific description of one form of the invention, while the claims are definitions of the actual scope thereof.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

invention in use.

Figure 1 is a perspective View showing the Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device with the ornamental cover removed. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4; is a similar section showing the parts in a different position. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 is a plan view of the device, illustrating particularly the ornamental cover which I provide therefor.

a indicates the .body member, which has a spring tongue a struck up therefrom and which also hasa spring-plate a attached to its under side and extending across an opening in the body member. Lugs are formed at the sides of the body member, and between these lugs is pivotally mounted the clamping member 12, which hasa spring-tongue I) struck up therefrom. The tongues a and b are curved transversely, and when the clamping member is in position these tongues lie one over the other, as shown in Fig. 5, so that the string or lace is pressed firmly between the tongues and held thereby. A spring-finger b is formed on the clamping member I) and is adapted to engage over the edge of the body member a, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to hold the parts in locked position. This finger 79* also serves as a means for facilitating the movement of the clamping member from one position to another. The clamping member has a shank b formed thereon adjacent to its pivots, which shank is bent laterally of the plane in which the clamping member lies and bears on the spring-plate (1 so that by means of the shank b and spring-plate a the clamping member is held firmly in open position. These parts also serve to assist the finger b in holding the clamping member in locked position.

In using the invention the body member is attached to the shoe by means of prongs or other suitable fastening devices a, and the ends of the shoe-lace are brought together and placed between the clamping member and body members. Then the clamping member is thrown down from the position shown in Fig. 4-. to that shown in Figs. 3 and 5, whereupon the lace will be held firmly between the spring-tongues a and b. This avoids the necessity of tying the shoe-laces and enables them to bequickly secured and released.

If desired, the clamping member b may be provided with an ornamental facing 0. (Shown best in Fig. 6 and also illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.) This ornamental facing may be fastened to the clamping member in any desired manner-for example, by pliable tongues c, which are adapted to be bent around the edges of the clamping member, as shown. The device may be constructed of any metal or other material desired, as will be obvious to persons skilled in the art.

Various changes in the form, proportions,

and minor details of my invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Hence I consider myself entitled to all such variations as may lie within the scope of my claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A clasp, comprising two pivoted members, spring-tongues respectively carried on the opposing faces of the members and adapted to hold an article between them, and means for holding the said members in locked engagement.

2. A clasp, comprising a body member adapted to be attached to the article on which the clasp is used, the body member havinga spring-tongue thereon, and a clamping member pivotally mounted on the body member and also havinga spring-tongue coacting with the tongue of the body member, the clamping and body members being provided With means for holding them in locked engagement.

8. A clasp, comprising two members pivoted together at one end and having a looking engagement with each other at the other end, each member being provided with a spring tongue, the tongues being curved transversely and projecting in opposite directions, as set forth.

4. A clasp, comprising a body member having a tongue struck up therefrom and provided with a spring-plate on its rear face projecting over the opening therein, and a clamping member pivoted to the body member and provided with a spring-tongue, a shank at one end projecting into the opening in the body member and bearing against the spring-plate, and at its other end with a finger for engaging the edge of the body member, substantially as described.

5. A clasp, consisting of a body member having a spring-tongue struck up therefrom and provided with a spring-plate on its rear face and projecting over the opening therein, and with lugs at its sides, and a clamping member pivoted to the said lugs, and provided with a spring-tongue, an angular shank at one end projecting through the opening of the body member and bearing against the spring-plate, and a spring-finger at its other end engaging the edge of the body member, the tongues of the said members projecting in opposite directions and curved transversely, substantially as described. a

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CLARA AMANDA BARROWS.

Witnesses:

WM. B. O. STICKNEY,

JOHN F. KEATING. 

